The skytrain rises: First section completed

NSW Premier Mike Baird and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance today announced the completion of the first section of the skytrain, being constructed as part of the $8.3 billion Sydney Metro Northwest.

“A hallmark of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is our commitment to building infrastructure and the completion of this section of the skytrain shows that we mean business,” Mr Baird said.

“This project has led to a jobs boom in Sydney’s north west with about 400 workers on site building the skytrain and about 900 others working to deliver Australia’s longest railway tunnels.”

The 36 kilometre Sydney Metro Northwest is on time and on budget, more than 60 per cent of tunnelling is complete, and the first section of the skytrain at Cudgegong Road has now been built. The skytrain will eventually stretch four kilometres between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill.

Mr Constance said the skytrain will include a new landmark bridge over Windsor Road, with a similar design to the Anzac Bridge.

“Sydney Metro will be a game changer for public transport and the team is setting a cracking pace,” Mr Constance said.

“Two massive horizontal cranes are now in place at Kellyville and Cudgegong Road which together will build up to 70 metres of skytrain each week.”

The design of the skytrain will mean reduced interruption to traffic during construction, allowing 50,000 vehicles a day to continue using Windsor Road. The elevated line will also prevent communities being divided once the rail line is operating.

Once the skytrain has been completed, work will begin on the elevated Metro stations at Kellyville and Rouse Hill, two of eight new stops on the line.

In April, the NSW Government announced Stage 2 of Sydney Metro will extend the line from Chatswood, under Sydney Harbour, through new underground stations in the CBD and south west to Bankstown.